Up Where We Belong
by Missuss
Summary: When tragedy hits the Darling house Jane makes a bold decision to strike out on her own along with her little brother Danny. But will a certain flying boy give her what she really needs?
1. The World Is Crashing Down

**Up Where We Belong**

**Jane**

"_Peter," the boy smiles back at me with his hand extended. I watch him warily as the ship tilts under my feet with every wave. I glance at the door to watch for the grumpy old governess, and then back at Peter._

"_You don't have a last name?" I take a cautious step towards the boy. He shrugs and looks up at the ceiling like I was just a shadow on the wall. I frown at the gesture and open the door to let him out. "You can leave now."_

"_I have no last name that I remember," Peter replies, not paying attention to the opened door. "No parents, no life really…" he looks down. My mouth stretches into a hard line as I watch him feel obvious discomfort as he drums his fingers on his thighs._

"_Are you… okay?" I lean against the doorframe and cross my arms firmly across my chest, feeling a sudden chill. Peter nods stiffly and slips out of the door. I watch him climb the ladder to the main deck with that feeling of loneliness… The aft turn's bitter cold and I step back into the cramped cabin once I hear the laughter of my governess and the first mate, Mr. Slank, laughing just above me. She appears at the top of the latter just before the door clicks shut. I reopen the door to pear out at the adults._

_Mr. Slank bends down to kiss her hand and she blushes violently. Both of them are unattractive people, but together they seem… nice. She turns towards the latter, and Mr. Slank gives her bottom a good pinch causing her to laugh in high pitched squeals, and for me to stick out my tongue._

_Before the couple can catch me I run to my bed and cover my face with the quilts. The cot squeaks as I try to find a comfortable spot on the sea worthy bed. I sigh and roll over onto my back as the door opens and I close my eyes quickly._

"_Molly?" I turn my head to the familiar voice and look crossly into the darkness. A set of bare feet scampers across the wood and a thud signals that the boy is kneeling beside my cot. A hand clasps over mine and my skin turns cold. "Is it an awfully bad thing that I have no last name?"_

"_Yes." I reply. The moonlight catches on the boys red hair as his head hangs low, obvious shame spread across his features._

"_How do I get one?" he mutters._

_I tap my chin and turn my head towards him. "Well, why don't you make one up? Like, Johnson! Or maybe Greyson… those are all handsome names Peter," I smile._

"_But they're all boring." he grimaces. "I know twenty each… I don't want to be like everyone else… Haven't you ever wanted to just be special?"_

"_No." I turn away from Peter and towards the porthole on the wall. Rough waves rush past the _Never Land_. I think about the trunk a mere fifty feet away or less. The magic… the starstuff._

"_Never a single dream?" Peter presses._

"_Dreams are for children," I say to the wall. _

"_What are we then?" Peter squeezes my hand. "I even know adults who have dreams… believe me."_

"_I said no!" I sit up, bent up frustration coursing through my veins. I search the dark room with my adjusting eyes. I turn to Peter with a huff. "Well if you're going to be nasty about it, your last name shall be Pan." _

"_What?" an appalled look comes across his features. "Like the metal thing that the cook makes slop with?" I think about the worms and maggots that the cook puts in pots and pans for the lower class sailors on the ship. Not that I've stooped to that level…_

"_Yes," I reply. "What a lovely name… Peter Pan," I smile into the darkness._

"_Well I don't like it," Peter says. "But if you-"_

_The door swings open across the room. I flop down in bed as Peter scampers to the small closet full of the governess' fur coats and linens. I imagine Peter gaging at the scent of her perfume over all of her clothes. She thuds across the floor ungracefully still giggling at whatever Mr. Slank had said. I close my eyes and wait._

_I'm pulled violently from my cot and I look at the governess in surprise. She grips my hair with vengeance and throws me to the ground. "What have you done with Miss Aster? Where's Molly?"_

"_I'm Molly!" I scream as she puts her foot to my throat. _

"_Liar!" she pushes harder. I glance at the closet but the door doesn't budge. _

"_Peter!" I scream, an odd British accent coloring my language. "Peter Pan!"_

_The door to the closet opens a little bit and a head of red hair shows itself. The governess is beside herself… not only do I appear to me an imposter, but there's also a boy in my room. She presses down harder. "Who are you?" she demands. _

"_Yeah," Peter agrees. "Who are you?"_

"_No one told you to speak!" she screams back at him._

"_Peter!" I choke. "It's _me_!" he shakes his head and runs out of the room. The ship shifts under us as I scream in agony. I turn to the governess and desperately claw at her ankles. She bends down to swat my hands away, but I sink my teeth into one of her perfectly manicured fingers. She howls in surprise and steps back. I get to my feet as fast as I can manage and climb the aft latter to the main deck. _

_Time seems to stand still. Not a living soul is out on the deck tonight and to my surprise, my governess isn't after me anymore. I turn to the starboard side of the ship and look down at the glass like water. I do not see Molly Aster looking back at me. Instead of long blond hair I see short auburn hair that's been tossed by the sea winds. My face has turned round, and my brilliant green eyes have turned to a pale blue… _

"Jane?"_ a voice from behind me whispers. I turn to the other side of the _Never Land_ but no one is there. My shoulder feels like someone is shaking it, but no hand appears. I try to shake it off but it only shakes harder. _"Jane?"_ the voice calls again. _

I shoot up in bed. My familiar room looks back at me. I turn to look eye to eye with my mother. I throw my arms around her neck only to find my little brother Danny already in her lap. Danny gasps from between us and I push off from his shoulders and kiss the top of his head. He smiles back at me sleepily. "Jane?" my mother starts. "Is everything alright? You were yelling in your sleep…"

"Just a very… very strange dream," I explain quietly.

"Was Peter Pan in it?" Danny looks up at me with renewed excitement. I laugh and grab both of his cheeks making him laugh.

"I think he was," I tell him a hint of a smile.

Mother smiles from beside Danny and pushes him gently aside to give my cheek a quick kiss. I give her the usual 'I'm fine,' and she leaves the room to settle Danny back down. I make my way to the window and open the latch. I stare out at the moon and the stars… especially one in particular. If only I could fly up there and see him again… just one more time. I really screwed up my last visit to Neverland… the _Never Land_… does it mean something? Who is Molly? Why couldn't Peter fly? Where was Tinkerbell? What is _starstuff_? The questions buzzing through my head make my dizzy and I sit down on the window seat. The room seems to shift but I keep my sights locked on a certain rag doll. I hold on to the waist of the Peter Pan doll and look him in the eye.

"Why don't you ever come back?" I shout at his face, tears threatening my eyes. "Do you ever think of anyone but yourself? What about _me_?"

"Jane?" my mother steps into the moonlight cast across my room. "You know that he's never coming back right? I don't want you to get your hopes up…"

"You saw him twice!"

"But not until I was a grown woman with children…" she trails off. I throw the Peter Pan doll to the ground in front of her feet. She takes a deep breath and bends down to pick up the doll. "Peter Pan is more than a story, but sometimes he doesn't act like it."

"Mother…" I look at her blanched face. The moonlight casting across her face makes her look pale. "Mother, are you alright?"

"Never better!" she stands up straighter but a ragged cough erupts from her throat. She takes a staggering step backwards towards my bed. I leap from the window seat and help her to sit down carefully.

"Mother… what happened?" I choke on tears of fear. My mother turns her head carefully to look at me.

"Go…" she coughs. "Go get your father… don't let Dan- Danny come in."

I run out of the room and down to my parent's room. The large bed holds one lump and I jump for it. The lump squirms a bit then laughs when we meet eyes. "There's something wrong with mummy!" I cry sounding small and scared. Father steps out of bed and grabs his robe in one swift motion before he heads back down the hall. I trail closely behind him.

"Wendy!" he gasps as he enters my room. "Wendy, darling, what happened?"

My mother places a hand on her chest, seemingly with great difficulty, and cries. Before he can turn to me I'm down the stairs and holding the phone to my ear. The operator seems tired and bent out of shape but the doctor is supposedly on his way. Father trudges down the steps as I'm about to run up them.

"It's all taken care of sir!" I stand up straight.

"At ease soldier," he smiles a faint, sad smile. I try to smile back but it's useless. We take a seat on the stairs staring blankly at the door waiting for something to happen. A faint knock comes from the door making Nana Two jump up and bark. Father hushes her and answers the door. An old, tired doctor stands in the entrance rubbing his eyes. He straightens up and heads up the stairs before we even have time to shake his hand.

"I don't know what's wrong doc," dad explains quickly. "She just can't breathe…"

"Breathing is essential for life Edward," the doctor replies in a monotone voice. My father nods as we continue up the stairs to my room. The doctor eyes the clothes on the floor briefly and I scoot them out of the way and into the closet. The doctor shrugs, satisfied, and takes a look at my mother. He turns on a light, making her look paler than ever. Dad gasps and I stare.

"Miss Darling?" she turns to the doctor as he speaks. "Do you know what happened to you?"

She shakes her head. The doctor rummages through his bag and check her throat with a stick. I stand on my tip toes trying to see. Red and white blotches cover the inside of my mother's mouth. "How long has this been going on?" the doctor asks. Mother shrugs. "Because from my observations…" he trails off. He clears his throat once to regain his posture. "Because from my observations you should have known about your predicament for weeks."

"Well," she croaks, glancing at dad. "I have."

"_Wendy_!" father falls to his knees beside her. "Why didn't you tell anybody?"

"There's a _war_ outside Edward!" she coughs. "I can't be complaining of something small-"

"This isn't _small_!" he shouts back, desperation leaking into his voice.

"Edward," the doctor steps towards the family. "May I have a word?"

My father nods and follows the doctor out into the hall. I grab the footboard of the bed with both of my hands as I look at my mother lying in bed. Alone. I climb over the footboard and kneel beside her on the quilts.

"Mummy?" I whisper behind tears. "Mummy?"

"What's wrong dear?" She asks softly, lifting a wobbly hand to my cheek. I clutch her hand like a life line and let tears run freely to the bed sheets.

"You!" I cry. "Something is wrong with _you_!... and I don't know how to fix it," I hang my head low.

"Don't worry about me," she whispers with a smile on her lips. Even the bravest soldier couldn't smile in combat against the toughest Germans. I inhale deeply to try to sustain my crying. "You're a very brave little girl… and I need you to promise me…" she coughs. "That whatever happens to me, you need to be strong for your father and Danny…"

"But they're men!" I protest. "Shouldn't _they_ be taking care of _me_?"

"One girl equals a dozen boys," she quotes. I gulp, thinking about the prospects of Neverland and Peter Pan. "Can you just promise me?" she asks after a pause.

"If I promise…" I bite my lower lip. "Then you can die."

"I-"

The doctor steps into the room, and I only catch the end of Father's robe disappearing down the hall and into Danny's room. "What's to happen to my mother?" I stand up, trying to look as adult as possible. The old doctor's features soften a little as he gets down on one knobby knee.

"Young lady," he says. "I happen to know a thing or two about growing up. It's a barbarous thing that teaches us not to waste our childhood. Now, your mother needs her little girl to help her get well," he pauses for a moment to look up at my mother. "Miss Wendy, I wish you the best of luck. But I'm afraid there is nothing I can do about your situation," he stands up. "I'll tell my wife to pray for you."

"Thank you," she replies softly.

The doctor steps out of the room and I squeeze my mother's hands, but I don't look at her. "I'll promise you, if you promise me that you won't die."

"I promise."

**~So if you couldn't tell, this is going to be my re-do of Maybe It's Finally Time To Grow Up. I'm going to be deleting that story simply because there were so many errors in it and it was moving too fast for me… I want the story to have depth. But now it does! Hurrah! :D**

**So… you may be wondering why I stuck Molly in there (she's from Peter and the Starcatchers), and the reason I did this was because she was another girl that Peter let grow up… he will explain this to Jane later… I MEAN I HAVE NO IDEA IF JANE WILL EVER SEE PETER AGAIN *cough* ;)**

**Well, this was a sad chapter to write, but Peter Pan only seems to appear when something bad happens…. So something VERY bad happened! Yeah, I know, I'm a terrible person… REVIEW!**


	2. Flying

**Up Where We Belong**

**Peter**

The forest flashes past my vision as I sprint through the undergrowth. A bird call shrills through the trees but I keep running. I lift my feet to fly but nearly fall on my face instead. I think once about calling out to Tink, but think against it since I'm being followed. Number one rule to Cops and Robbers: never call for help. Especially when you lose at 'no-nose-goes' and have to be the robber who steals Hook's hook.

The growl of pirates makes my heart skip a beat as I run even faster. Pirates are not graceful creatures, but even less so on land than the high seas. The call of the lost boys rings in my ears. Not only are the pirates after the hook, but the lost boys are after the robber. I would feel a whole lot safer it was merely the boys… then the game would be fair.

I lift my feet again. No luck with flying. I stumble on a tree root and catch myself by putting both hands in front of me and catching the trunk of a tree. I turn around just in time to duck under the knife of a bulky pirate. I watch a couple hairs fall from the top of my head as the pirate laughs.

"Hand it over boy!" he growls. Pirates seem to be appearing from out of nowhere. From behind trees, rocks, bushes, or simply the mist that surrounds Pirate's Cove. My breath catches as Captain Hook appears from the mist, hiding under his wide brimmed hat. I stay completely still as he comes closer and closer. "I said, _hand it over_," the big pirate growls more softly, but twice as menacing.

"Ow!" I turn sharply from the pirate to Hook who is rubbing his head and cursing to the air. The glint of a fairy appears over our heads. I smile at the light as the pirates point their guns at the sky. Tinkerbell sticks out her tongue and flies back into the trees. I watch the pirates warily. One shoots the air causing Captain Hook to swear again. "Hudson!" he bellows. "Why in God's name are you _wasting_ ammunition?"

"I didn't mean it capm'," the wiry pirate hangs his head. Captain Hook hits him over the head with his good hand as a stone strikes his skull.

"Ow!" he screams again and takes the lowly pirates gun from him and aims wildly into the vegetation.

"You'll never find them!" I taunt, earning a blow to the stomach from the burly pirate still holding a knife to me. "_Never_!"

"Will you be _quiet_?" Hook yells back, now holding the gun to his hip. "I'm trying to kill some children and you, Peter Pan, are getting in my _way_!"

"Isn't that the point?" I lean back towards the tree and away from the knife held to my neck feeling more relaxed then I've felt all day. Hook stands there with his mouth hanging half open. "Is the codfish speechless?"

A bald man lets out a small laugh, but before I can breathe, the man his dead with a bullet through his skull. Captain Hook waves the gun at the rest of his crew and they back up holding up their hands. "Anyone else?" he bellows. "Come one, might as well teach you sea dogs a lesson in _manners_!" he shoots the man next to me with a grunt. The man drops his knife and holds his chest tightly.

"But… Capm'…" he gasps.

"You're all _useless_!" Captain Hook tells his crew. He turns to them with vengeance in his eyes. I watch the back of his greasy head for a couple second before slowly inching around the tree. I make a mad dash for the check point at the Indian Village.

I stumble on roots and rocks as I climb the steep hill to the ring of tee-pees. The pirates must not have noticed that I'm missing yet since no one seems to be following me on my struggle. "Come on!" I try jumping a little off the ground. "Why won't you work?" I fall back down and clutch the side of the cliff like a life line. "Happy thoughts… happy thought…." Nothing. An Indian call comes from the bottom of the hill and I glance down to see Slightly pointing up at me while the rest of the lost boys catch up. Tinkerbell's glow comes from one of the boy's shoulders as she watches me carefully.

I shake my head and keep climbing. I can hear Slightly behind me yelling for Tootles, Nibs, Cubby, and the twins to catch up but I ignore them all together in order to reach the village before they do. Rocks shift under me as I climb higher and higher. I lift my hand up one more time to feel grass and soil under my palm. Slightly yells something from below and I hoist myself up onto flat land.

I look up to see the lost boys standing in front of me with their hands on their hips.

"It's over Peter!" Nibs steps forward.

"_Yeah_, we've won, and you've _lost_!" Slightly joins him. The rest of the lost boys step forward nodding their heads in unison.

"Come on fellas!" I put up my hands in surrender. "No need to be like that!"

A sharp bird call comes from behind the boys. I glance over them, being the tallest, and smile at the face of the Indian princess, Tiger Lily. "Catch!" I call to her. The lost boys turn their heads abruptly behind them as I throw the hook over their heads and towards Tiger Lily. She catches it and waves it in the air. I start running past the lost boys before they can say "codfish."

I snatch the hook from Tiger Lily and start to run towards the totem pole. The hawk on the top seems to be glaring at me as he predicts his fate. I stop mid stride as the boys hover over me menacingly. I watch them for a moment, then chuck the hook towards the hawks face. Each boy comes back to the earth gently as they watch the silver hook shine in the sunlight as it twirls towards the totem pole.

"Bull's eye," I announce. Tiger Lily gives my middle a quick squeeze as her father comes out of his tent. I put up my hand in the customary greeting and he returns it with a satisfied nod. The boys shrug and start to return home.

The old tree that we live in takes twenty minutes to walk from the Indian Village and back. Each lost boy seems to collapse as soon as we get through the door. Tinkerbell hovers above us with her hands on her hips. "Lazy… good for nothing," is all I can make out before she disappears into her room behind a leaf.

I sit in the bear skin chair with a satisfied grin spread out across my features.

Hours pass and the boys slowly make their way to their hammocks and cots before beginning to snore. I make my way carefully across the floor of sleeping bodies to where Tink's light is glowing from behind a leaf. I pull back the curtain between her and the boys gently, as not to startle her, and poke my nose inside.

Tinkerbell has her blond hair draped down her back and a little silver brush in her hands. She turns around from looking at herself in the shell I gave her last year when she almost had her light put out. She smiles a little and puts the brush down.

"Is something wrong?" she asks in her bell-like voice.

"Nothing's wrong," I whisper back. Tink shrugs her shoulders knowingly and turns back to the shell to examine her face. She prods her cheeks and squishes her face up and down. "Nothing's wrong," I whisper a little louder.

"Who are you trying to convince?" Tink stands up and puts her hands on her hips. Her foot taps impatiently on the mushroom she's standing on. "Me or you?"

"No one!" I insist.

Tinkerbell nods with a silly smile on her face saying "uh-huh." Tink struts over to the other side of her little room and steps into her hammock while her wings help her to keep balanced. She lies down with her hands behind her head.

"Tink?"

"Peter?"

"Why couldn't I fly today?" I ask quietly as not to wake the lost boys. Not that they would wake anyhow since Cubby seems to be filling the whole room with noise.

"I don't know," she shrugs, closing her eyes as if she were about to fall asleep.

"Yes you do!" I argue.

"Well, were you thinking happy thoughts?"

"_YES_!"

"Then I _don't know_!" she props herself up on one elbow. I wait quietly and watch Tinkerbell settle back down. "I don't know…" she mumbles. "Maybe something bad happened."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know."

"Stop saying that!"

"Well what am I supposed to say?" Tinkerbell stands up and pokes my nose with one jabbing finger. "That maybe someone died, or got hurt or maybe sick! Sometimes it's a little hard to believe in those times whether you know about it or _not_."

"D-do you think we should go to London…?" I spread out my palms in desperation. Tinkerbell crosses her arms and shakes her head. "Just to make sure everyone's okay?"

"Like Wendy?" she demands.

"Maybe!" I walk away from her room and sit on my own bed with my legs and arms crossed. The fur prickles at my legs and I flop over on my back in desperation for a comfortable spot. "It's one thing for Wendy to grow up… but dead?" I choke silently. "Or Jane…"

"Peter?" I very tiny hand places itself on my cheek. I turn away from it. "Peter, don't cry," she whispers, landing in from of me. "I could be wrong."

"I'm not cryin'!" I wipe away a few stray tears from my cheeks violently. I open my eyes to see Tink glowing in front of my face. She sits with her legs crossed and her hands on her knees. "Besides," I gulp. "What if you aren't wrong? What then?"

"There's only one way to find out," she stands up and holds out her hand.

"But I can't fly."

"Has that ever stopped us before?" she smiles.

I think back to every adventure I had ever had with my fairy by my side. How many times we got in trouble with Captain Hook, Wendy, and Jane… the lost boys, or the boys from Newberg's. I smile meekly back at Tink and shake my head. Tink laughs and grabs my shirt collar firmly and leads me out of the tree house.

**~The question: Is this based on Peter and The Starcatchers, or the original Peter Pan? Well, the answer is: a little bit of everything. Since Jane is a Disney character (I think, correct me if I'm wrong) and the name for the lost boy Curly which will be Cubby since that's the Disney name. But Molly will be mentioned, and the theories from Peter Pan's original book will be present! :D Hope that's a good answer. **

**Anyways, I wanted to have Peter show the effects of Wendy's sickness and I thought the biggest way to show that was the inability to fly. Deep in his mind he _knows_ what's going to happen to her, and for that, sad thoughts have rooted him to the ground. All very cool, I know :)**

**Sorry these chapters take so long, but I'm trying to make it my best! REVIEW! *please***


	3. My Flying Boy

**Jane**

I kneel down in front of the cold stone block, the mud and grass digging into my knees as my school uniform ruffles in the wind. I hold my breath, tracing the words on the stone lightly with my fingertips. Rain starts sprinkling down on me, the sky erupting with noise as I sit in front of my mother's grave. I cough back tears as I stare at the grave. So simple… she deserves so much more. She deserves to be remembered for all of the good things she did for people and the smiles she brought to everyone's faces. It felt like she could walk up behind me at any moment, wipe away my tears, and hold me close while telling another tale about Peter Pan. But now… now she's gone. I'll never see her again. My chest erupts with heart break. Why? She promised me! My cheeks flush with anger as I sob into my hands.

Footsteps squish behind me. I turn my head quickly behind me but I don't see anything. I turn back to the grave only to be interrupted by heavy breathing. "Danny?" I call into the rain. No one answers. I scan the thin vegetation that lines the graveyard but nothing appears out of the ordinary. "Danny? It's okay." I try to coax him out.

I sigh, getting off of the sopping ground to go look for my little brother. If anyone took my mother's death hard, Danny is the one that just couldn't handle it. The little boy has torn everything apart in his room and refuses to hear a single bed time story from either me or my father. Of course, that's when dad received another blow to his heart and turned his love to a brown bottle of whiskey. I never see him sober anymore.

"Jane?" I jump, pulling out of my thoughts quickly. The voice calling me wasn't Danny's, and suddenly, I was afraid to turn around. "J-Jane?" the voice sounded just as scared. "Why are you here?" I turn around, my eyes going wide. I look the boy standing in front of me. He dressed in green from head to toe, and his auburn hair is flattened to his forehead as he rings his hat in his hands nervously. A little fairy is perched on his shoulder with her hands folded carefully. "Jane?"

"My mother… Wendy," I choke on my words. He casts his brown eyes down, knowing what I'm about to say. I stand there, not knowing what else to do. I move my hands, but I can't think of any words to say to him. "She's gone Peter… she's just gone!" Without thinking, I start sobbing again. Peter looks at me, a little startled. I barely make out Tinkerbell stand on Peter's shoulder through my blurry vision. She whispers something in his ear and he nods.

Peter takes a step towards me; I look at him, not sure if he's going to say anything or not. He looks like he wants to cry himself, but he won't let it happen. Suddenly, he has his arms around my waist and his head on my shoulder. His shoulder shakes and despite the fact that I'm already soaking wet, I feel hot tears soak into the shoulder of my school jacket.

I hesitantly hug him back, squeezing him against me. I press my cheek into his chest and cry. I can hear the steady thumping of his heart. I sigh. He's alive… My mother is dead but the hero of my childhood Peter Pan is alive.

Peter pulls away from me, looking me straight in the eye. His cheeks are flushed and the grime that usually covers his features are cut through with clean tears. "Come to Neverland with me," he says. I gulp, almost knowing that this was coming.

"I can't," I tell him.

"Why not?" his voice leaks with desperation as he looks at me. He squeezes my shoulders, not willing to let go.

"I can't leave Danny," I tell him. "I can't imagine my dad even noticing if I leave anymore. I-I'm sure he'd enjoy the peace really. All he does is drink anymore. Adults are so… so breakable."

"Danny can come with us," he says quickly. When I don't answer Peter sighs. "Jane, I don't think you understand. I _need _you. I'm not happy without you and with Wendy gone… I don't think I can survive alone in Neverland with just me and the lost boys. I need a girl to… to liven things up. To make things brighter. I can't even fly anymore… and I think if you say no one more time I might as well lay beside Wendy and die myself."

"Don't do that," I croak. "Peter, if you were to go away I would lose two things I love. I don't think I could even cope. You helped me find myself in Neverland… I was a kid again and I learned how to live. But now I've lost my mom and I have to be grown up."

"Then don't say no," Peter says. I watch Tinkerbell nod from his shoulder. "Go back to where it all began. Be with me and the lost boys and Danny and live. Be happy with me."

I slowly nod. Peter takes my hand. I half expect him to take off into flight but instead we slowly walk across the graveyard hand in hand in complete silence.

**~Sorry it's so short! I'm trying to get back in the hang of this story! Hope you all like it and reviews are greatly appreciated :D**


	4. A Perfect Moment

**Peter**

I gulp as the rain cuts through my clothes. My body shakes with cold but my left hand is warm… I look down at Jane's head as we walk towards her home in London. The sky is slowly darkening as the day comes to a close. We walk and walk. My feet start to ache and my light shivers turn into loud chatters. Jane glances up at me, her big blue eyes brimming with worry. She slowly strips her jacket and gets on her toes to drape it over my shoulders. Despite the fact that the thing is completely soaked through, and makes me colder than I was before, I smile thankfully back at her and recapture her hand. She squeezes it without looking at me and continues down the sidewalk.

Finally, I watch Jane turn sharply towards a brick house on the corner. I look up at its height, only realizing now that I've only seen the house from the rooftops. I shake out my hair on the porch as Jane unlocks the door and steps in. The house is silent, making my sneeze sound so much louder than it should have. I can hear Tink on my shoulder stifle a laugh. I flick her stomach, making sure she knew that I was annoyed.

"You aren't catching a cold, are you?" Jane asks absently as she makes her way down a narrow hall. I shake my head even though she isn't looking at me. She makes her way towards a living area and carefully stacks logs and kindling into a little fireplace. "I don't think it's a good idea to go to Neverland tonight," Jane says, breaking the silence. "The rain is too much. We shouldn't fly in weather like this."

"The lost boys are waiting though!" I complain. "Here, I'll show you!" I pull her arm, making the jacket draped over my shoulder slip onto the floor. I don't give it a second thought though, I pull her upstairs and towards her bedroom. I open the window and am about to step right out when Jane yanks the back of my shirt back. I come reeling back towards her, catching her by the shoulder, preventing myself from falling flat on my face. I look up at her, blushing in the dark room as I notice that I'm nose to nose with the girl.

Jane pushes me back, her face contorted into anger. "What's wrong with you?" she screams "You said you couldn't fly; now you're just going to jump out of a window? Are you insane?"

I shake my head, going towards the window. I peer into the night and give a sharp birdcall. I wait… thirty seconds pass and I give another call. I watch Tink lean in to listen to but nothing appears. "T-they left," I whisper, disbelievingly. I suddenly turn around and kick Jane's bed, steaming with anger. "I told the boys to stay here with the ship and they _left_!"

"Maybe they'll come back?" Tink asks optimistically from my shoulder. I shake my head, plopping down on the bed and resting my head in my hands. I feel a hand on my back and a murmured apology from my right. I gulp down both humiliation and sorrow as I sit with Jane.

"I'll go get you some dry clothes," Jane says softly, leaving me to my troubles. Tink wipes the tears from my cheeks as I wait for Jane to return.

"I don't know what I'm going to do," I say softly to her. "I can't fly, how am I supposed to get both of them to Neverland?"

"There's always a way," Tinkerbell says. "But I can't fly in this weather just like Jane said," she pauses. "The rain would rip right through my wings… maybe the best thing we can do right now is wait. Maybe you'll find happiness in London and learn how to fly. Jane might be the answer…"

"But what if she isn't?" I stand up. "I can't fly because I lost Wendy and I'm expecting Jane to come along and kiss it better?"

"Maybe even more than that," Tinkerbell says softly, putting both of her small hands on my both of my cheeks. "You want to be this free spirit all the time Peter, but I don't think you realize how lonely you really are."

I open my mouth to argue, but I hear footsteps making their way down the hall. Jane walks in with a pile of clothes in her arms, and sets them out carefully on the bed… almost like a mother. She sets them out in pairs. Pants to a matching shirt and vest. Jane smiles halfheartedly as she gestures for me to pick something out. "They're my dad's things… from when he was younger. Though, they may be a little big."

"Alright," I nod, scanning them over. I eventually pick out a pair of grey trousers and a plain white shirt that all the way up. I go behind a curtain set up in her room as she sits on the bed, waiting for me to emerge. I put on the outfit carelessly, leaving the shirt un tucked. I pull on a pair of wool socks as well, making me feel warm. "Well, how do I look?" I step out, grinning.

Jane smiles back, shaking her head. "I'm going to go change too," she says, not answering my question. "Do you mind starting the fire?"

I nod as she makes her way out of the room. I make my way down the stairs and find matches in a drawer next to the mantel and a box of cigars. I light the fire, blowing on it to make the spark catch. Soon, the whole room is lit up with a calm orange glow. I turn off all of the lights in the room and just sit on the carpet, enjoying the warmth. Tink perches herself on the mantel, dangling her feet over the edge. By the way she's smiling to herself I can tell she's enjoying the warmth too.

"Enjoying yourself?" Jane's voice comes from the doorway. I turn my head to her, a goofy smile plastered to my face. I nod drowsily, gesturing her to join me. She smiles, and makes her way over to the spot beside me. She doesn't say a word as she sits down and leans her head on my chest. I put my arm on her waist, securing her to my side. I don't understand this… warmth that I feel in my chest. Maybe it's just the fire… Whatever it is, it feels so good.

"Peter?" she murmurs.

"Yeah?"

"Did you ever learn how to read?" she asks. My eyes snap open in surprise, watching the top of her head intently.

"Yeah," I tell her. "Of course I can read, only an idiot can't read."

"Why are you lying to me?" she asks confidently. I deflate, my cheeks burning with self-loathing. Now she'll never like me. Jane probably only wants to spend her time with intellectuals that can read a hundred books. I shake my head, suddenly angry. Why do I care if Jane likes me like that. We're only friends, that much has been confirmed.

"I don't know," I reply glumly.

"Maybe I'll teach you some day," I can feel her smile into my chest. I can't help but smile back; maybe Jane isn't as judgmental as I thought she was. I reach for a pillow and rest it under my head. I look up at Tink who is now out of site, the only indication of her being her soft yellow glow from the mantel. I check Jane, sitting up slightly on my elbows. Her eyes are closed, and a peaceful look replaces her worried features. I sigh contently.

My grip on Jane's waist tightens and my eyes begin to feel heavy. And at that very moment, everything was perfect.

**~Aww fluffy! :D Hope yall enjoyed :)**


	5. The Rain

**Danny**

I tap my pencil against my desk idly as I wait for Miss Carl's raspy voice to dismiss us. I glance over at my father who is sitting with his back to me outside the classroom. There's a small window where all the kids can see their parents' disappointed faces. I can't see Dad though… he's facing away from me.

The children around me range from the decent kids… just unfortunate. Got caught on a bad day, ya know? Then there's people like Blake Rogers who is aiming a spit wad full of chewing gum at our teacher. I sigh, leaning on my elbows. I casually roll my eyes as she hollers at Blake and his gang. I stare at the blackboard. The loopy handwriting reads: DETENTION.

"Alright children," Miss Carl claps her hands twice. Parents outside turn their heads or meet her snake ones. "Detention is now dismissed… that is, for most of you. Blake Rogers, I would like you to stay an extra ten minutes." Her eyes meet mine for a split second. I cringe thinking that she's going to want to talk to me about my behavior… but she closes her wrinkled lips into a hard line and lets me go with a wave of her old hands.

I get up slowly, packing my things and heading out the door. I stop in front of where he is sitting, looking down at him as if he should be the ashamed child. He stands tiredly and shoves his hands deep into the pockets of his trousers as we walk down the hallway and towards the car. I glance around the dark street where other parents are loading their kids into cars… the only reason we still had ours after the war was because Mom didn't know how to drive and Dad was off being a soldier. I sometimes think that the war was the best years of my life.

"Where is it?" I look around, my breath fogging in the cold, rainy weather. My father looks down at his feet for about a minute before pulling an umbrella out from his jacket and starting to walk home. He doesn't give an explanation, and he doesn't need to. My family has been running a fine line for months now… it only took a couple weeks for Dad to start drinking. Jane tried her best to be that tough girl adult that she had always strived to be when we were younger… but she doesn't seem to have that sort of strength anymore. As much as I look back on World War II and smile with fond memories of me and my mother huddled together as she told Peter Pan stories, I know that it took its toll on Jane.

My father offers no hospitality as he takes the umbrella for himself and walks down the dark sidewalk. My father turns to me as I walk in the rain, my blond hair hanging in my face as rain drips down my nose and cheeks. I think I ought to ask Jane to give me a haircut soon.

"That Blake kid give that to ya?" he asks, his voice is deep and unnatural. I remember the warm voice he used when he just got back, so happy to just be alive and back with his family again. With Mom…

"Yeah," I mutter, absently touching the deep purple bruise under my eye. This injury is also accompanied by hundreds of scrapes and bruises, but I don't even bother telling him.

"Why'd they bust you?" he looks away from me again, and towards our small house which is slowly coming into view. "I mean," he mutters when I don't answer. "You didn't do nothing' wrong, did ya?"

"They basically punished me on a matter of principal," I shrug, knowing he won't understand me. I'd be better off talking to a pigeon. "I get mugged and try to get the bully off of me and we're both found guilty. I should of just let him beat me to a pulp… then I wouldn't have to stay in that God awful place any more than I have to."

"Ah, well," he smirks from under the brim of his hat. "That's life. But now you've got to be a man about it," he punches my shoulder. I rub it, looking down at my walking feet. "You got any friends Daniel?"

"A few," I murmur.

"Why didn't they help you out?"

"They were scared," I shrug. "As they ought to be. Blake's a bully."

"Are they all girls or something?" he snorts, looking at me again. My teeth are chattering and my clothes are soaked through, but I'm still not invited under the umbrella. "You got a girl Danny?" he asks out of the blue. I scoff. "What?"

"I'm eight," I say simply. For my age bracket, girls are still supposed to be coody ridden. I know it's all just a bunch of bologna, but I need to fit in as much as possible, especially with other kids calling my dad a drunken bastard. I gulp. It's not as if I don't know it's true… it's just a pride thing I suppose.

We reach the house and Dad pulls out the key and unlocks the door. A crackling fire is burning in the sitting room but my father storms right down the hallway and towards his den… and his whiskey. I sigh, shrugging off my coat and folding it over the banister. I glance at the fire, wondering if I should indulge in its warmth. Then, I see Jane.

I watch her for a long time, just sleeping on the ground by herself. I laugh a little… She's strange, but I get the desire to lay in front of the fire on nights like this. I make my way into the room and take a couple logs for both the fireplace upstairs and the den. I tinkling in my ear makes me swat at the air, but it keeps coming. I feel like I'm going to get a headache.

I glance around me, appalled when I see a boy sitting in my mother's old chair. I drop the logs with a loud thud, making Jane shoot up to a sitting position. "Hey Danny," he says. He gets up from the chair, wearing a plain white shirt, trousers, and an unbuttoned vest. I stare at him with uncertainty. "I haven't seen you since you were very small," he smiles. He looked no older than fifteen. How could he have known me?

"W-who… what?"

"Danny," My sister's voice comes from behind me. I watch her warily, her hand holding my shoulder. "I'd like you to meet Peter Pan."

**~Danny! :) Hope you all enjoyed another update! Review!**


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